Lamp shade and method of making the same



Oct. 1, 1946. 2,408,594 7 LAMP SHADE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME S. B.'BARTHA Filed May 27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m f/ZUZ/ZZO T SRNDOR HBHRTHAOct. 1, 1946.

s. B. BART HA LAMP SHADE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Y 2 Sheets-Sfieet 2 frujerdvr Snnoon B.BP\RTHA, XZZVMM 4 wrn y.

UNITED STATE Patented Oct. 1, 1946 Application May 27, 1944, Serial No.537,745 I v i 3 Claims. (01. 240-108) This invention relates generallyto lamp shades and more particularly to improvements in the constructionof and process for making pleated lamp shades and lamp shade fabrics.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a pleatingdevice in the form of a pair of complementally formed accordion-likefoldable elements between which suitable material may be readily andinexpensively formed into'a pleated lamp shade fabric. It is a furtherobject of this invention to provide foldabl complementary male andfemale forming elements with pre-scored lines formed therein, which maybe stretched fiat with a suitable material sandwiched or interposedtherebetween and folded and compacted along the scored lines to readilyand inexpensively form pleated lamp shade fabric having an offset orgallery-effect trim along one or both edges thereof. W

It is also an object of this invention to'form a frustoeconical-shapedlamp shade of offset pleated fabric supported upon awire frame with theoffset pleated sections of the fabric so cooperating with the wire framea to maintain the fabric in the frusto-conical-shape and to preventaxial movement of the lamp shade relatively to th wire frame. I Y IOther objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from theaccompanying drawings in which like characters refer to like parts andin which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the finished gallery pleated lampshade in place on a f a e; U

Figure 2 is a transverse cross sectional view of the finished lamp shadetaken online 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional viewof the finished lamp shadetaken on line 3 --3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view showing the finished gallery pleated material itself;I

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of two'Ii-ke flexible folding molds usedin the pleating process, here shown inthe fiat unfolded position:

Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure '5 with the molds in apartially expanded position;

Figure 7 is a view similar to that of Figure'S with the molds in thefull folded position;

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken on the lines 8-8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a cross ectional view taken on lines 9-9 of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a view, partially in sectionjof the inner fold lines of thepleats l! and I8 coincides '2 finished gallery pleated material formedinto cylindrical form; V

Figure 11 is a top plan view of Figure 10; and t Figure 12 is atransverse section'through the pleats. I

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates in perspective afinished gallery pleated lamp shade 13 made of any suitable material,the shade being of frusto-conical shape having a top portion I4, abottom portion 15, and a, center portion therebetween. The centerportion of the lamp shade l3 comprises a series of similar adjacentaccordion-type pleats l6 alsoarranged in frusto-conical form. The topportion ['4 and the bottom portion l5 are respectively formed of aseries of similar adjacent accordion-like pleats I1 and I8, alsoarranged in frusto-conical form, butoffset relative to the pleats l6 ofthe center portion of the lamp shade I3 A set of sawtooth-shapedaccordion pleats 22 integrally unites the adjoining ends of the centerpleats l6 and the offset pleats I1 and Hi. It will be noted in the lampshade shown in Figures 1 to 3 that the pleats [6,11 and 18 are allformed in a single piec of material, by a process to be described, andare consequently integrally connected even though the pleats I1 and I8are offset relative to the pleats I6, The pleats I1 and '18, beingolfset relative to the pleats l6, are termed gallery pleats, asection ofgaller pleated fabric of this type being. shown in Figure 4-; Thegallery pleats IT and I8 are offset outwardly relative to the pleats l6and thusthe finished lamp shade I3 is adapted to fit snugly around afrusto-conicallyshaped wire frame I9 having the horizontally disposed,vertically spaced wire ring sections 20 and 2! between which theinwardly extending portions of. the pleats I6 are adapted to fit, thefrusto-co-nical plane commonto the inner fold lines of the pleats [6being smaller than the frusto-conical plane defined by the circularwires 20 and M. The rings 20 and 2| are in contact with the inside foldsof the pleats 22--Z2 and support the lamp shade l3'against axialdisplacement relative to the frame [9, it being understood that thenatural tendency of the pleated fabric to contract along the fold lines,after being stretched over the wire frame, will tend to hold the lampshade in place. In addition to this, the

shade may be securely held in place on and to the frame by any suitablemeans, such as sewing, tacking or gluing. It will be noted in Figures3that the frusto-conical plane common to the with the frusto-conicalplane common to the saw-tooth-shaped pleats 22 which immediately ducedinto frusto-conical form, it will be noted,

as shown in Figure 5, that the complemental male and female foldable dieelements 24-24 are arranged in superposed relation and stretched fiatwith a suitable length of the material to be pleated sandwichedtherebetween. Each of the die 3 elements 24 comprises a rectangularshaped length of relatively stiff material, such as fibre board or kraftpaper, which is scored, as indicated by the various dotted lines ofFigure 5, to facilitate its being folded along these scored foldinglines. The dies may be of any suitable length depending upon the lengthof the material to be pleated thereby,

In the process of forming the pleated fabric, the material of which thelamp shade is to be formed and which may consist of paper, fabric orfabric-covered paper suitably sized to give it requisite body and thecapability of being selfsustaining in form and shape, is initiallywetted and while still moist, is interposed between the flattenedcomplemental male and female die elements 24-24 to constitute alaminated assembly of the die elements and the interposed shade fabric.One end of this assembly is then suitably held or secured in fixedposition, and by pulling upon the opposite end of the assembly, it isstretched flat and so maintained in taut condition. Thereafter,beginning at the free or unsecured end of the assembly, the dieelements, with the shade fabric interposed therebetween, is folded alongthe scored lines to pleat the same in seriatim. the unfolded portion ofthe assembly being maintained flat and under tension.

Viewing Figure 5, each heavy dotted line represents a fold line whichproduces, in the finished fabric, the inner fold line of each pleatthereof,

while each light dotted line correspondingly represents a fold linewhich produces, in the finished fabric, the outer fold line of eachpleat thereof. Naturally, in folding the die elements along the foldlines in seriatim commencing with the unsecured end of the assembly, aplurality of identical folded or pleated sections are obtained, each ofwhich includes a plain center pleat I6 and a pair of outwardly offsetpleats I1 and I8 respectively arranged to either side of the centerpleat.

Each plain center pleat I6 is formed by a scored line 25 and the scoredlines 30-30 arranged to either side thereof. Each oflset pleat I! issimilarly formed by a scored line 3| and the scored lines 26-26 arrangedto either side thereof, while each offset pleat I8 is correspondinglyformed by a scored line 32 and the scored lines 27-21 disposed to eitherside thereof. 3

The offset pleats I I and I8 are, of course, integral with theirlongitudinally alined center pleats IE, but because of the offsetrelation, the joinder is effected through the medium of the interveningsaw-tooth-shaped pleats 22, Of these latter pleats, those whichimmediately adjoin the offset pleats I! are each formed by fold ing thedie elements along a scored line 28 and a pair of scored lines 33-33arranged to either side thereof, at the same time that the die elementsare folded along the diagonally extending score lines 35-36 and 31-38.Similarly, the

adjoin the offset pleats I8 are each formed by folding the die elementsalong a scored line 29 and an associated pair of scored lines 34-34, atthe same time that the die elements are folded along the diagonallyextending score lines 39-40 and 4 I-42. I

It is to be understood, of course, that each similar pleated section ofthe lamp shade fabric is obtained by folding the corresponding sectionof the forming elements 24-24 simultaneously along all of the fold lines25 to 42, inclusive, as

just described, thereby producing in seriatim identical pleated sectionseach of which include a central plain pleat I 6 and a pair of offsetpleats I1 and I8 respectively joined to opposite ends of the plain pleatby the intervening saw-toothshaped pleats 22.

After all of the sections of the dies 24 and the included shade materialhas been folded tight or compacted, as in Figure 7, the mold is held inthis position until the material has set and has conformed to the foldedshape of the sections. Thereafter, the dies are released and permittedto relax to the position of Figure 6 and then the molds 24-24 areremoved leaving the offset pleated fabric of Figure 4.

The pleated shade material is then formed into tubular form, as shown inFigure 10, with the extremities thereof overlapped and joined togetherby any suitable means, such as gluing, stapling or tacking, as shown,for example, at 43 (see Figure 12). Thereafter, the tubular hollowstructure of pleated fabric is placed over the wire frame I9 and joinedthereto in the manner already described.

It will be noted that the same process, with different diesappropriately pre-scored along the proper fold lines, may be carried outto produce a pleated fabric with the offset pleats at one side only ofthe center pleats instead of at both sides thereof, as shown in thedrawings, or a pleated fabric may be produced in which the offset pleatsare located between the ends of the base or center pleats, in which casethere will be two short sawtooth pleated sections, similar to thesections 22, joining the offset section, one at each end thereof,

.to the base or center section. This latter modification, in effect,would be the equivalent of the fabric of Figure 4 except that the twooffset sections I1 and I8, instead of extending outwardly from thesection I6, would extend inwardly, or expressing it another way, thefinished fabric, instead of being formed into the tubular shape afterthe manner of Figure 10 with the offset pleats I1 and I8 extendingoutwardly, could be formed into a tubular shape in the reverse mannerwith the offset pleats extendin inwardly. However, in the latter case,care would have to be taken that the material is placed in the molds insuch a manner that the right side thereof would be on the outside of thefinished product.

It will be noted that I have provided a process by means of which offsetor gallery pleated fabric may be readily and inexpensively made insimple and inexpensive molds. It will also be noted that I have providedan offset or gallery pleated fabric by means of which an attractive lampshade may be readily and inexpensively made.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a lamp shade a pleated fabric arranged in frusto-conical shape,said fabric having a plurality of adjoining pleated sections, the foldlines of which are parallel, two of said sections of pleated fabricbeing of similar conformation to form the end portions of the lampshade, the fold lines of said end portions being respectively outwardlyofiset relatively to the corresponding parallel fold lines of thecentral portion of the lamp shade to provide a double gallery effect,and means disposed within the lamp shade for maintaining said fabric insaid frusto-conical shape.

2. In a lamp shade a pleated fabric arranged in frusto-oonical shape,said fabric having a plurality of adjoining pleated sections, the foldlines of which are parallel, two of said sections of pleated fabricforming the end portions of the lamp shade and being offset outwardlyrelative to a pleated section forming the central portion of the lampshade to provide a double gallery effect, the folds of the centralpleated section extending inwardly from and the folds of the end pleatedsections extending outwardly from a frusto-conical plane common to theouter fold lines of the central pleated section and to the inner foldlines of the end pleated sections, and a wire frame having spaced openrings horizontally disposed with in said lamp shade and between whichthe inwardly extending folds of said central pleated section are fittedto maintain said fabric in said frusto-conical shape and to preventmovement of said lamp shade axially relative to said wire frame, saidframe also having means to engage and to position said lamp shade overthe end of an electric light bulb.

3. In a lamp shade a pleated fabric arranged in frusto-conical shape,said fabric having several adjoining integral pleated sections, one ofsaid sections forming the central pleated portion of the lamp shade, andothers forming the end pleated portions of the lamp shade which areoffset outwardly relative to the central portion to provide a gallerypleated efiect, the fold lines of the aforementioned pleated sectionsbeing parallel, the end portions being integrally united to the centralportion by forming intermediate pleated portions whose fold lines are atan angle to the said parallel lines, the folds of the central pleatedportion extending inwardly from and the folds of the end pleatedportions extending outwardly from a frusto-conical plane common to theouter fold lines of the central pleated portion and to the inner foldlines of the end pleated portions, the intermediate pleated portionsextending across the said frusto-conical plane, and a wire frame havingspaced open rings horizontally disposed within said lamp shade incontact with the inner fold lines of said intermediate pleated portionsand between which the inwardly extending folds of said central pleatedportion are fitted to maintain said fabric in said frusto-conical shapeand to prevent axial displacement of said lamp shade relative to saidframe, said frame also having means to engage and to position said lampshade over the end of an electric light bulb.

SANDOR B. BARTHA.

